Discovery
by Chizuru
Summary: A Tifa and Cloud fic. Cloud steps in to realization that he does have feelings for the raven beauty.
1. Taking Off

  
Note: Pro-Game as usual. None of the characters,  
towns, objects belong to me, except John. This   
one is weird and I have no idea where it's heading.  
Please bear with me. Thanks. 5-28-01  
chizuru  
---- ----  
  
Prologue: Taking Off  
  
  
  
"Hey, Teef!" I could hear Barret's baritone call   
out to her. I looked up from the day's paper,   
wondering why Barret sounded so unsure. "Teef,   
where ya goin'?"   
  
Does he still need to ask? She's probably going to   
pick up some groceries! Heavens forbid! Is he   
that dense? So dense that he can't even pick up  
Tifa's daily routines?  
  
But there was something else that widened his blue   
mako eyes. He dropped the paper that he once  
held firmly abruptly and stood up from the comfortable   
couch that he occupied and ran towards the door.  
  
"Tifa." He said, barely above a whisper. Confused   
thoughts raced through his mind. His blonde brows   
knitted together in frustration.  
  
"Hey, Cloud." She said with a smile, as she shifted a brown   
duffel bag atop of Kane, a golden chocobo that they had raised  
together.   
  
"Uh, um..." He stuttered as he observed the girl that stood in   
front of him, "Well, are you going somewhere?"  
  
She wasn't planning on leaving him... was she?  
  
A shy smile played on her rosy lips, "Honestly, I don't know   
where I might be going. But since everything's settled down, I've   
decided to go traveling around the world for a bit." He nodded,   
while some spiky golden hair fell in front of his eyes.  
  
Cloud could feel someone watching him intensely from beside,  
he quickly turned his head towards his left and discovered   
that Barret had been standing there. He had forgotten that Barret  
had been there all along.   
  
"Spike." Barret said in a dangerously low tone.   
  
A puzzle expression masked his face. "Yea?"  
  
The older man sighed and shook his head, then looked up at Tifa,   
"Well, doll, where you be headin'?"  
  
"Eh?" She paused and held a thoughtful look upon her features,   
then, a playful mask was pulled across her face. "I actually haven't   
thought about that yet. I just..."  
  
"Just what?"   
  
The girl shrugged, and stuck her tongue out. "I just wanna get out of   
here."  
  
Cloud could feel the world around him shatter.   
  
Did she want to get away from this place? Or away from... from him?  
  
"Are... are you coming back at all?" He couldn't hide the desperate tone in   
his normally levelly voice.   
  
Tifa smiled brightly at the blonde man, "Of course I am! I won't be away   
for long, don't worry about me." Her hand brushed the side of his arm softly,  
before hiking herself on top of Kane. She waved a gloved hand and smiled   
again. "See you all later, guys!"  
  
"Ti-" Before he could get it out, the girl had kicked the side of the bird and   
jetted off.   
  
"Spike!"  
  
"Damnit! What?" His tone was harsh, his blue eyes burned as he turned towards  
the bigger man. As fast as it came, the fire died off in his eyes, "Barret... did I   
mess up... again?"  
  
"Heck, son! You ..." Barret Wallace sighed before patting the boy on the back.  
  
Cloud shoved Barret's arm away, "No! Don't give me that. When do you think   
she'll be back?"  
  
"Honest?"  
  
Cloud stared at him before continuing, something did NOT sound right.   
"Well, duh! Yea!"  
  
Silence embraced the two as they stared at each other. Finally, the gruff man   
was the one that broke the silence.  
  
"Never."  
  
End Prologue  
  
---- ----  
Note: This fiction is weirder then I had thought it would be. So please continue  
reading and please feel free to give me some suggestions on where this series   
should head. Cool. Thanks for reading this, and please drop a simple review.   
chizuru  
  
  



	2. A Decision Made

  
Note: Pro-Game as usual. None of the characters,  
towns, objects belong to me, except John. This   
one is weird and I have no idea where it's heading.  
Please bear with me. Thanks. 5-28-01  
This is a really rough draft. Watch out. :)  
---- ----  
  
Chapter One: A Decision Made  
  
  
Instead of holding a Buster Sword, Cloud Strife held a wooden broom within his   
hands, quietly sweeping the dust and dead leaves that had managed to gather on  
the front porch of the garden that Tifa used to manage so well.   
  
It's been six months after the girl had decided to walk out of his life. The memories   
of her promising him her return kept replaying in his mind whenever he thought of   
her. His spiky head snapped up from the ground the moment he heard knockings   
on the door, as fast as he could manage, he hastily tossed away the broom and jetted   
for the door. Cloud swung the door open, hoping with all of his heart to find his friend  
who had promised her early return.   
  
"Hi, Cloud. I've got you another job!"   
  
A disgusted look masked his face as he trotted towards the back of the house once  
again. He bent down and picked up the broom that he had abandoned. "What  
is it this time?"  
  
"There's a bar the government wants to clean up, and I told them that I've got the   
right person in mind. Therefore, voila! I'm here!" John swept his arm in front of him,   
a proud grin on his face. He was a man in his late twenties or early thirties, Cloud never   
asked. He thought that if John wanted him to know, he'd tell him by himself. A very nice  
man indeed. John Hukvik often kept Cloud from turning in to a potato sack by looking   
for random missions for him to go on. Cloud wasn't one to complain, he was actually   
quite grateful. The house was just too empty when he's the only occupant.  
  
He sighed, twirling the broomstick like he once did with his weapon. "When, where,   
how much?"  
  
"Cloud, boy! You know you really don't give a damn about the money, I mean, look at   
this house, it's drop dead gorg-" Cloud held up a hand before he could finish.  
  
"Fine," sounding thoroughly annoyed, Cloud continued, "just where and when?"  
  
John shrugged and shoved his hand in his left pocket. "Hold up," he said, his tongue   
sticking out as he dug for the object of his desire. "Got it, got it!" He called out happily  
as he pulled out a wrinkled piece of paper from his pocket. "There, all the information   
you need is on this."  
  
"It's in Junon." Cloud stated, a confused look on his face, as he read the crumpled piece   
of paper. "How'd you get a deal from all the way over there?" He knew that if he accepted   
this deal he would be away from Costa Del Sol for at least a week. Cloud can't be gone  
for that long.  
  
What if she decided to return within that period of time?  
  
He shrugged, "It just came and I accepted. That's all there is to it." John punched his shoulder   
lightly, "What do you care about the distance anyway? It's just a boat-ride away!"  
  
"It's not that..." Cloud stuttered, "I-I just don't want to leave an empty house behind."  
  
"Oh, c'mon!" John threw up his arms in desperation. "You scared about leavin' the house   
for more then a few days just because of some burglars? Get real, Mr. Strife. You're Cloud   
Strife! Who'd be stupid enough to steal out of your house? Plus, there aren't any problems   
in stealing here in Costa Del Sol! Just calm down, and give it a go. You don't have to worry   
about anything, just let go of your worries and kick some butts. I'm sure it'll make you feel   
a lot better!"  
  
Almost in a defeated fashion, Cloud shook his head. His blonde spikes waved slowly,   
following the pattern of how his head shook. "It's not that, John. I'm not afraid of things   
getting stolen. I've told you, haven't I?"  
  
"About...?" Suddenly, John could feel something trigger in his mind. He held up his hands,   
almost as if he was stopping Cloud from walking over to him. "Oh wait! Don't tell me, I think   
I know. You're waiting for that girl right?" He sighed and shook his head, "That girl who   
saved the world with ya! Man, I tell you, with your fame and money, you can get any girl   
you want."  
  
A throaty dry laugh escape from the bottom of his throat. "Although that may be true, but   
it's not them that I want. I just want my friend to keep her promise."  
  
"Alright, whatever you want, bro! So you taking on the deal or what?" He asked casually.   
"She's left you for six months, how do you know she's gonna come back within the week   
that you aren't here." Slowly shaking his head, John pushed back his brown bangs, "If she   
wanted to come back, she would've been back months ago, she probably wouldn't have   
left in the first place!"  
  
That comment had managed to sting his pride. Cloud never got to find out why Tifa had   
decided to leave. It almost seemed as if it was a spur of the moment thing.   
  
"You're right." He said as he began folding the note.   
  
"Wait, does this mean you're willing to take the job?" John asked, excitement filled his voice.  
  
"Yes." Cloud answered shortly with a nod. He took a long intake of breath before speaking,  
"To Junon, huh?"  
  
---- ----  
  
Note: This fiction is weirder then I had thought it would be. So please continue  
reading and please feel free to give me some suggestions on where this series   
should head. Cool. Thanks for reading this, and please drop a simple review.   
chizuru 


	3. Encounter

  
  
Note: Pro-Game as usual. None of the characters,  
towns, objects belong to me, except John. This   
one is weird and I have no idea where it's heading.  
Please bear with me. Thanks. 6-18-01  
This is a really rough draft. Watch out. :)  
shooieluvsu@hotmail.com  
  
  
---- ----  
  
Chapter Two: Encounter  
  
Cloud swung his duffle bag behind his shoulder  
as he walked off the carpet stairs that they had   
placed just for him.   
  
"Mr. Strife," the captain had said in such a genuine   
tone, his grubby hands rubbing together, creating  
quiet sissing sounds from the rubbing of rough skin,   
"Please do enjoy your trip! We enjoyed serving  
you."  
  
Of course, he smiled rather kindly in return, and  
trotted off the ship. But as soon he turned around, he  
saw the same man scraming the poorer passengers  
off the ship. Screaming at their slowness.  
  
After sighing, he walked a bit longer, and soon found   
himself in the busy streets of Junon.  
  
His mind wondered aimlessly towards his mission. There   
were no real reasons why the government really wanted   
the bar to be removed, but only because the people who   
had the same occupations had complained about the noise  
it created, saying that it bothered their customers.  
  
Cloud shook his head and knew what that meant.  
  
Translation: They were jealous of the bar's success and   
wanted it to be taken out or else they won't be making   
any goddamn gils.  
  
He wondered if saving humans and the planet   
was right after all. As much as he hated to admit it,   
humans were ugly. Always so goddamn selfish! When would   
they ever learn to help one another and really put the   
golden rule to use?   
  
Sighing, he pulled up the crumpled piece of paper that   
John had given to him before he left.  
  
"Winston Street number two six three..." He muttered   
with frustration as he couldn't find the hotel where he was   
supposed to stay in. "Goddamnit!" He called in frustration.   
Cloud pondered if he should go ask around about it, but his   
pride wouldn't allow him to suffer like that. Heck, he saved   
this world, how is he supposed to swallow down the pride and   
tell people that he couldn't even find a hotel.   
  
His blue eyes swam around, hoping to find someone who didn't   
look like they would notice whom he was. But already he could   
feel multiple sets of eyes lingering freely on him. He could hear  
loud whispers of his name, the childish giggles from young female  
teenagers, and definitely a few dirty looks from their male   
companions.  
  
Quite ego boosting, but that's not what he needed right now.   
  
He really could use some help here. But if he asked the girls in  
the group, they'd definitely take it the wrong way. Heck, who asks  
random girls for hotels? Cloud was far from being a pimp.  
  
And if he did ask the guys, they'd probably laugh their ass off.  
He could already hear them say, "WHAT, BIG SAVIOR OF THE WORLD   
CAN'T FIND A HOTEL NOW?"  
  
God! He weaved a sigh and shook his head, it's really not that  
great to be famous and all in a situation like this.. He was not   
looking forward to this trip, everything seems to be going wrong,   
he desperately needed something to lighten this all up. There were  
three things that he needed to accomplish in this annoying trip  
that John had organized for him.  
  
First, to find this goddamn hotel and frigging check in, so he  
doesn't end up sleeping in the streets like the homeless. Secondly,   
he needs to get to that successful bar and tell them that they had   
to close it just because people were jealous of them.   
  
What's he supposed to say them?  
  
Sorry, you can't work here because you're too superior for them,   
the government would like to suggest you to move in to another city,   
or town.  
  
Bull shit. Lastly, he wanted to get home as soon as possible,  
he wanted to get out of this unfamiliar city that he did not belong  
to.  
  
Damnit! He can't even get the first thing on his list done!  
  
Again, he looked around, desperately trying one last time to   
find someone who didn't have his or her eyes on him already,   
but of course, with his luck, he tried to no avail.   
  
"Um..." He heard a hesitant tone behind him, Cloud almost wanted  
to dig a hole and jump in, he wished with every muscle in his body that  
it wasn't someone that's going to jump all over him squealing and  
screaming. "Excuse me." A gentle hand laid itself on his shoulder  
and tapped lightly.  
  
Okay, so it's not a crazy mad fangirl...   
  
After pulling a fake smile across his features, he turned around,   
ready to face any fan or whatever this girl may be. But he blinked   
and gasped when he realized who the owner of the voice was.  
  
"T-Tifa..?"  
  
  
---- ----  
  
Note:   
Argh! I'm really sorry. While I was writing this jazz, it was in   
the middle of my finals... so obviously, I was more then a bit   
stressed. I guess it was reasonable that I got a bit stuck. The  
story wouldn't play out the way I had imagined before the night  
of my Physics exam.   
Ack. I really do hate my Physics teacher.  
For those who waited and checked, I'm terribly sorry.   
  
July 17th -  
Hey there, I tried uploading when I got home, but my computer was  
being a ... ahem... when uploading files, so I couldn't upload  
it until today.   
  
I'm not going to make a promise that I can't keep, so I'm just say  
that I THINK the next few parts are going to come out rather quickly.  
  
Thank you for reading.   
Drop me an email if you got some ideas for where *you think* this   
story should head.   
  
  
shooieluvsu@hotmail.com  
  
-Chi  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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